Detailseite
Projekt
Dynamics of the Plasmodium Actin Cytoskeleton during Host Cell Invasion
Antragsteller
Professor Dr. Kai Matuschewski
Fachliche Zuordnung
Zellbiologie
Förderung
Förderung von 2003 bis 2006
Projektkennung
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 5408741
Protozoan parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa include important human and animal pathogens, such as Plasmodium, the etiologic agent of malaria, and Toxoplasma gondii. These facultative intracellular parasites rely on their own actin cytoskeleton for host cell invasion, but the details of this process are unclear. In addition, apicomplexan parasites share a unique mode of actin-dependent locomotion, termed gliding motility that appears to be mechanistically linked to successful host cell invasion. Surprisingly, the majority of literature reports that apicomplexan parasites do not contain actin filaments. This joint project proposes expression of the parasite actin genes in S.cerevisiae for subsequent purification and biochemical analysis. The molecular dynamics of Plasmodium actin polymerization and the role of additional regulatory proteins will be studied for the first time in a heterologous system. In a complementary approach we suggest to employ reverse genetics as well as heterologous gene complementation to study the unique properties of the Plasmodium actin cytoskeleton during host cell entry. A detailed understanding of the regulation of actin filament dynamics and their interactions with motor proteins are fundamental for investigations of the molecular mechanism of Apicomplexan motility and host cell entry.
DFG-Verfahren
Schwerpunktprogramme
Internationaler Bezug
Schweden
Beteiligte Person
Dr. Herwig Schüler
